Pho bo - Vietnamese beef and rice noodle soup, a recipe from Vietnam on Gourmetpedia

Ingredients

• - 1 medium onion
• - 1 kg (2 1/4 lb.) beef bones
• - 400 g (14 oz.) stewing beef, in large pieces
• - 3 liters (12 cups) water
• - 2.5 cm (1") piece of ginger, cut into 4 slices
• - 2.5 cm (1") piece cinnamon stick
• - 2 star anise
• - 3 cloves
• - 6 black peppercorns
• - 1 tsp. salt
• - 2 tbsp. nuoc mam (fish sauce)
• - 125 g (4 oz.) Beef tenderloin or sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
• - 175 g (6 oz.) dry rice noodles (banh pho)
• - Raw onion, thinly sliced
• - 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
• - 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh cilantro leaves
• - Sprigs of fresh mint, Thai basil and cilantro
• - 125 g (4 oz.) bean sprouts
• - Red chilies, thinly sliced
• - Lime wedges